Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No. 2  Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise today to speak to this particular bill. As members know, Bill C-63 looks at different provisions within the Government of Canada and the budget tabled in the spring of this year. It looks to see what needs to change for government to respond effectively to Canadians, and to ensure that their requests and expectations of their government are being met.

Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No. 2  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for the wonderful speech she gave today about how the government is empowering Canadians and lifting them up at a time when they need our help, at a time when they need their government to be reaching out to partner with them and not be dictatorial in how we approach things.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring gender equity for all women in Canada. We are committed to ensuring adequate time for a meaningful debate of Bill S-3, particularly in the context of the new court deadline of December 22. Our government is committed to working with first nations communities, impacted individuals, experts, and parliamentarians to remove all sex discrimination from the registration provisions within the Indian Act.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite knows, we are the first government ever in the history of Canada to make all efforts possible to eliminate sex discrimination for women within the Indian Act. That is our intention. That is our commitment. We are working with first nations, with individuals, and with Canadians to ensure that we remove all sex discrimination from the registration provisions of the Indian Act.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, I am glad to see that the member opposite supports the inquiry now, because families and survivors fought for a very long time against the previous government, which she was a part of, for this inquiry. In fact, at the Special Committee on Violence Against Indigenous Women, the member for Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo actually dismissed the need for an inquiry at all and characterized it as just spending more time and money on another process.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for raising this issue. I know it is very important to all people in our country. Our government is committed to ending the ongoing national tragedy of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. We have launched a truly national independent inquiry, and we are going to make sure that the voices of families are heard.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the many vigils that are being held across Canada in memory of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls, including a vigil here on Parliament Hill today. I want to acknowledge and thank all members of Parliament and the Prime Minister for attending that vigil and offering their support.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should know as well that she is citing the maximum value of the contract, which included travel arrangements, out-of-pocket expenses, and any number of costs associated with travelling to rural and remote regions of Canada to consult with indigenous people.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize that I stand on traditional territory of the Algonquin nation this evening as I respond to the question raised by the member for Lethbridge. I am somewhat taken aback by the fact that the late show question presented was not regarding tax reform, but rather the overhauling of the child and family services within the Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, I know that my colleague agrees with us that the program for northerners and the struggles they have in trying to feed their families are completely unacceptable. That is why our government has expanded the program to include 37 other communities. We have also invested $65 million a year over the next five years.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, in our discussions with the commissioners, they made the point that the process in which they are engaged is one that will require tremendous sensitivity. They are progressing on a road that we have not progressed on before, and they find it very much a priority that they do this appropriately and in a culturally respectful way.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, yesterday we had the opportunity to meet with the commissioners from the missing and murdered indigenous women inquiry in Canada and to hear first-hand from the commissioners about the work they are doing. Our government has launched a truly national and independent inquiry.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, as the member for Nanaimo—Ladysmith already knows, today we debated Bill S-3 in the House, which would make changes to the Indian Act with respect to sex-based discrimination. We are encouraging members to support those amendments, and we are hopeful that they will, as Bill S-3 goes through the House.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Nanaimo—Ladysmith for the opportunity to reaffirm the government's commitment to ending the ongoing national tragedy, recognizing that I do so on traditional territory of the Algonquin nation on the eve of National Aboriginal Day in Canada. Our government is committed to ending the ongoing national tragedy of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.

Indian Act  Mr. Speaker, this afternoon the judge rejected the plaintiff's application for a further extension. The member is aware of that. More than 35,000 people have been waiting two years since this court decision was exercised to exercise their rights. She understands that we need to pass this legislation immediately to address the discriminatory gender-based gaps that exist in the Indian Act.